The Rulemakers

How the Wealthy and Well-Born Dominate Congress

by Sheila S. Coronel, Yvonne T. Chua, Luz Rimban, and Booma B. Cruz

Sunday, July 4th, 2004

This book tells the story of the Philippine legislature by examining the men and women who make up that body. It looks at their demographic characteristics (age, gender, education, profession), their assets and sources of wealth, and also their family lineage.

What we found was troubling, but hardly news: Philippine legislators constitute a select and exclusive segment of society. They are richer, older, better educated, and better connected than the rest of us. The great majority of them are also part of families whose members have been in public office for two or more generations.

This book also shows how lawmakers have employed their powers to further enrich themselves and entrench their families in power. The powers to make laws, to conduct legislative inquiries, to examine the national budget, and to vet presidential appointments have been used by legislators to get benefits for themsleves, their allies, and their kin.

The book is available at the PCIJ office. For more information, email pcij@pcij.org or call (+632) 4319204.